Stringed musical instruments capable of converting string vibration energy to acoustic form have been used for centuries for entertainment. Guitars capable of converting string vibration energy to acoustic and electrical forms have provided entertainment for decades. The addition of the electrical form has provided the ability to increase amplification of acoustic output and the ability to modify the electrical signal for varied acoustical effects. While many variations exist (such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,186, having an interchangeable soundboard or U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,005 also having an interchangeable soundboard, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,003 having acoustic chambering), the applicant is not aware of any type of guitar having a soundboard action adjustment system, nor an integrated transducer system.
An acoustic guitar actually depends very heavily on the resonant chamber behind the strings to amplify and provide depth and warmth to the faint sounds produced by the strings. In other words, the rich sounds of the various types of traditional guitars are due to the various types of construction of the body of the guitar.
Electrical guitar types, on the other hand, produce a different selection of sounds and timbres because such guitars have the ability to electrically/magnetically pickup and amplify the sounds made by their strings. They can produce a wide range of sounds, greater amplitude and may allow for easy electronic adjustment and recording of the sounds produced. However, in an acoustic sense, an electric guitar (most are not hollow) does not resonate, and occasionally experts may refer to inexpensive electric guitars as “planks”.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,190 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Brown, teaches an acoustic instrument with a spring supported soundboard, however, it does not teach that such a soundboard may have adjustment devices, nor does it teach that the device may be electro-acoustical, having structures for use with electrical pickups of any type.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,013 issued Oct. 28, 1980 to Wellings teaches an electrical-acoustic transducer. However, the '013 reference device is “adapted to be mounted in intimate contact with” a musical instrument (a piano is pictured). Thus it teaches away from an integrated transducer and teaches nothing relevant to guitar sound boards at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,246 issued Feb. 25, 2003 to Erismann teaches a style of guitar having a metal framework serving as a detachable body. It appears to be acoustically inert and does not teach transducers relevant to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,005 issued Feb. 13, 2001 to White teaches a guitar sounding board which has a lattice-work “acoustic grille”, which may have known transducers mounted thereon. It lacks any integrated transducer and teaches away from sound boards as taught by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,193 issued to Schertler on Oct. 24, 1995 teaches a transducer having a housing “which can be secured to the resonant body” and thus teaches away from integrated transducer structures of the present invention as well as teaching nothing towards sound boards.
It is worth noting that various hybrid electro-acoustic guitars may be known in the prior art, but that such hybrids do not teach an mechanically adjustable sound board, nor do they teach an integrated acoustically active transducer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,003 issued to Jarowsky on Oct. 28, 1997 teaches an alternative type of electro-acoustic guitar having a central sounding chamber and two horn shaped passages to communicate with the exterior. It teaches nothing about integrated transducers, nor about adjustable sounding boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,186 to Faivre on Oct. 25, 1983 teaches another type of electro-acoustical guitar having a sounding board, but does not teach an integrated transducer or an acoustically adjustable sound board, nor the structures of the present invention for carrying these out.
Thus, while exchangeable sound boards are known, mechanically adjustable soundboards, acoustically integrated transducers and soundboard assemblies of the construction taught herein are not known.
It would be advantageous to provide a guitar having improved acoustic qualities and improved transducer structures and having instantaneous action adjustment.